Temporary connector for folding chairs



June 19, 1956 J. D. EVES 2,750,990

TEMPORARY CONNECTOR FOR FOLDING CHAIRS Filed Sept. 29, 1955 7 3 iew 1 4f, mmr flhjmx;M1,,

55 INVENTOR z/ne/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent TEMPORARY CONNECTOR FORFOLDING CHAIRS John D. Eves, Cortland, N. Y., assignor to The Brewer-Titchener Corporation, Cortland, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication September 29, 1955, Serial No. 537,483

Claims. (Cl. 155130) This invention relates generally to connectors forchairs and more particularly to those connectors designed for thepurpose of connecting folding chairs temporarily to one another.

In the utilization of folding chairs, it is often desirable to align thechairs side-by-side in temporary rows. Maintaining adjacent chairs inalignment as persons enter and exit the rows is a ditficult problem andvarious methods and devices for maintaining such alignment have beenemployed. A portable member can be used to connect folding chairs inalignment if it is specifically designed for that purpose. If a largenumber of chairs are to be displaced in an area in rows, a connector foraligning adjacent chairs must be simple and easy to handle and operate.

The invention herein disclosed has as its principal object thefurnishing of a new temporary connector for folding chairs which isreadily attachable to adjacent chairs inorder to connect them togetherand maintain them in alignment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connector which islight in weight and easily transportable so that it can be placed inposition to join adjacent chairs without the use of tools or otherappliances.

A further object of this invention is to provide a temporary connectorfor folding chairs which is complete in itself and inexpensive so thatit may be produced and sold at a comparatively low cost.

A temporary connector embodying the invention and the manner of usingthe same is described herein with references to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a group of folding chairs fastenedtogether in alignment by means of a temporary connector having portionsof the connector cut away in order to disclose certain features of itsconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 1 showing a connectorcooperating with chairs to fasten them together in alignment;

Pig. 3 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in Fig. l showing in detail aconnector with an end hook mounted thereon applied to the lower frontcross-brace of a folding chair;

Fig. 4 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 1 showing the connectorcooperating with the leg of a chair to enable the clamp of the connectorto grip the leg;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the connector clamp piece, illustratingthe details of itsconstruction; and

Fig. 6 is a partially sectional view of an alternate form of clampengaging the legs of chairs to fasten them together in alignment.

Folding chair 10, 11, 12 and 13 are shown in alignment in Fig. 1 withconnector 14, which is also shown in Figs. 2 through 4, applied to thelower front cross- 2,750,990 Patented June 19, 1956 braces 10a, 11a, 12aand 13a of the chairs 10, 11, 12 and 13 respectively. Connector 14 is arigid member having a base side 15 and side flanges 16 and 17 extendingthroughout its length forming a U-shaped channel and is preferablyconstructed of metal.

Connector 14 has attached thereto in spaced relationship a series ofclamps 18. A single clamp 18 is shown in detail in Fig, 5 and is a flatpiece of metal substantially rectangular in shape which is bent once ateach end to form angles 19 and 20 and then bent again closed to each ofthe ends to form angles 21 and 22. The reason for this will becomeobvious when the manner in which the clamp is applied to a folding chairleg is described.

Each clamp 18 contains a hole 23 in its flat central portion which hasinserted therein pin 24 which is attached to connector 14 at a weld hole25 which is one of a group of holes which are disposed in spacedrelationship in the base side of the connector. The distance betweencenters of holes 25 is slightly greater than the distance between thelegs of one of the folding chairs which is to be connected. It ispossible, in accordance with the teaching herein, to alter the assemblyin order to accommodate chairs of various widths and also to vary thespacing between chairs.

Pins 24 are attached to connector 14 by welding end 26 of each pin tobase side 15 of the connector at a weld hole 25. Pinheads 27 cooperatewith springs 28 to yieldingly force clamps 18 away from heads 27 andtoward connector 14. Channel 14 has cutouts 29 in its flange sides whichare substantially rectangular in shape and which are opposite angles 21and 22 of clamp 18 when the clamp is in a position horizontal toconnector 14 in order to facilitate the use of clamps 18 as will beexplained below.

End hooks 30, which are right angle metal pieces are rigidly fastened toside flange 16 at each of the ends of connector 14 by riveting orotherwise. An end hook 30 is shown in detail in Fig. 3 and it isobserved that side 30:: is in length approximately one-half the width ofcrossbrace 10a.

In use, chairs which are to be connected are aligned as in Fig. 1wherein chairs 10, 11, 12 and 13 are aligned side-by-side. A connectoris then brought to the front of these chairs. (It is noted that sincefour chairs are to be connected together as in Fig, l, connector 14 isof such length and construction so as to enable the attachment of fourchairs. However, a connector for any number of chairs may be constructedaccording to the spirit and teaching of the invention herein set forth.)

The clamps 18 are rotated by the user until they lie vertically withrespect to the horizontal connector 14. The clamps are then insertedbetween adjacent legs of adjacent chairs and the connector end hooks areapplied to the upper portions of the forward lower horizontalcross-braces 10a and 13a as shown in Fig. 3 with adjacent legs ofadjacent folding chairs disposed in cutouts 29. Each clamp 18 is thenpressed against the spring 28 which is associated with it causing thisspring to contract and the clamp is then rotated from the vertical tothe horizontal. When the clamp is horizontal it is released, allowingits spring 28 to expand and causing the clamp to bear on the chair legswhich are disposed between it and connector 14 in the cutouts 29 whichlie opposite angles 21 and 22 of the clamp. This simple procedure isrepeated until all the clamps of a connector are horizontal. The chairsare then held in position by the connector and no further efiort isrequired to align them. Adjacent chairs are maintained in alignment bythe action of the springs forcing clamps 18 against adjacent legs ofadjacent chairs thereby holding the legs in cutouts 29. Endhooks 30 aidin maintaining end chairs 10 and 13 in alignment with chairs 11 and 12.

In the above description the clamping means is spring pressed and notools or accessories are required in applying the connector to thecross-braces of the chairs. A second embodiment of a clamping means isshown in Fig. 6 wherein features identical with features illustrated inthe preferred embodiment have the same number as that feature had whenpreviously described, but with a prime following. The clamping meansshown in Fig. 6 is screw threaded rather than spring pressed and is ofgreatest utility where it is described to leave the chairs connected fora long period.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig, 6, clamp 18' is shown withthreaded pin 31 inserted in hole 23' and screwed into nut 32 which iswelded on clamp 18 adjacent hole 23'. Pin screw-head 33 which iscircular and has a diameter greater than the diameter of hole 25 inconnector 14', in which it is inserted, cooperates with the base side ofconnector 14' to prevent the end of pin 31 from slipping through hole 25and also to provide means whereby a screwdriver may be utilized torotate pin 31.

In use, clamp 18 is applied to adjacent legs 34 and of adjacent chairswhich are disposed in cutouts 29' in connector 14, as in the preferredembodiment. To use this second embodiment, however, threaded pin 31 isrotated by the operator until nut 32 in cooperation therewith has causedclamp 18' to firmly press the chair legs into cutouts 29', therebycausing clamp 18' to bear on the chair legs 34 and 35 which are disposedbetween it and connector 14.

Thus, among others, the several objects in the invention as specificallyaforenoted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in constructionand rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A temporary connector for folding chairs including in combination anelongated member; clamping members mounted throughout the length of saidelongated member, said clamping members being constructed and arrangedto bear on adjacent legs of folding chairs disposed between saidclamping members and said elongated member when said chairs arepositioned adjacent each other; and means to force said clamping memberstoward said elongated member whereby said clamping members and saidelongated member bear against the chair legs disposed therebetween.

2. A temporary connector for folding chairs including in combination arectangular member; flanges on said rectangular member forming aU-channel with said rectangular member as the base side thereof;clamping members mounted on said rectangular member throughout thelength thereof, said clamping members being constructed and arranged tobear on adjacent legs of folding chairs disposed between said clampingmembers and said rectangular member when said chairs are positionedadjacent each other; cutouts in said flanges shaped to allow insertiontherein of chair legs which are disposed between said clamping membersand said rectangular mem her; and means to force said clamping membertoward said rectangular member and into said cutouts whereby saidclamping member and said flanges bear against the chair legs inserted insaid cutouts.

3. A temporary connector for folding chairs of the type which has ahorizontal cross-brace between two of its legs including in combinationan elongated member;

clamping members mounted throughout the length of said elongated member,said clamping members being constructed and arranged to bear on adjacentlegs of folding chairs disposed between said clamping members and saidelongated member when said chairs are positioned adjacent each other;means to force said clamping members toward said elongated memberwhereby said clamping members and said elongated member bear against thechair legs disposed therebetween; and hooks fastened to said elongatedmember at each of its ends whereby said elongated member can engage thehorizontal cross-braces of chairs which are at the outermost positionsof said chairs which are disposed adjacent each other.

4. A temporary connector for folding chairs of the type which has ahorizontal cross-brace between two of its legs including in combinationa rectangular member; flanges on said rectangular member forming aU-channel with said rectangular member as the base side thereof;clamping members mounted on said rectangular member throughout thelength thereof, said clamping members being constructed and arranged tobear on adjacent legs of folding chairs disposed between said clampingmembers and said rectangular member when said chairs are positionedadjacent each other; cutouts in said flanges shaped to allow insertiontherein of chair legs which are disposed between said clamping membersand said rectangular member; means to force said clamping member towardsaid rectangular member and into said cutouts whereby said clampingmember and said flanges bear against the chair legs inserted in saidcutouts; and hooking means attached to one of said channels at each ofits ends whereby said channel can engage the horizontal cross-braces ofchairs which are at the outermost positions of said chairs which aredisposed adjacent each other.

5. A temporary connector for folding chairs of the type which has ahorizontal cross-brace between two of its legs including in combinationa rectangular member; a second rectangular member attachedperpendicularly to said first rectangular member at its long edge; athird rectangular member attached perpendicularly to the remaining longedge of said first rectangular member forming a U-channel having saidfirst rectangular member as the base side thereof and said second andthird rectangular members as the flanges thereof; clamping membersmounted on said first rectangular member throughout the length thereof,said clamping members being constructed and arranged to bear on adjacentlegs of folding chairs disposed between said clamping members and saidfirst rectangular member when said chairs are positioned adjacent eachother; cutouts in said second and said third rectangular members shapedto allow insertion therein of chair legs which are disposed between saidclamping members and said first rectangular member; yielding means toforce said clamping members toward said first rectangular member andinto said cutouts whereby said clamping members and said second and saidthird rectangular members bear against the chair legs inserted in saidcutouts; and hooking means attached to said second rectangular member ateach of its ends whereby said second rectangular member can engage thehorizonal cross-braces of chairs which are at the outermost positions ofsaid chairs which are disposed adjacent each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS712,898 Barney Nov. 4, 1902 2,675,063 Nordmark April 13, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS 472,494 Germany Feb. 28, 1929

